A former employee who was placed in charge of payroll for a city hotel is facing a felony embezzlement charge.
Chad Lee Ledford, a 33-year-old Williamsburg man, was working at the Quality Inn on York Street between Sept. 19 and Nov. 7 and is accused of depositing unauthorized funds totaling $26,256 into his own bank account.
A criminal complaint against Ledford indicates the owners of the hotel noticed the unauthorized payments and confronted Ledford on Nov. 8.
The owners told police Ledford was in charge of payroll and created his own account with ADP Payroll and was depositing checks from that account in addition to his regular pay.
Ledford admitted to making direct deposits and issuing the checks to himself, using the money to purchase personal items such as a car and home furnishings, the complaint states. The checks he deposited ranged from $531 to $4,500, the complaint shows.
Court documents said Ledford emailed the hotel owners Nov. 10 and apologized for the thefts, promising to pay back the money in monthly installments. The owners told police Dec. 31 they had still not received any payments from Ledford.
Williamsburg Police charged Ledford with one felony count of embezzlement after he refused to speak with officers, according to the complaint.
Ledford is scheduled to appear in Williamsburg-James City County General District Court at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Correction: This article has been corrected to show the Williamsburg Police charged Chad Lee Ledford.
